Acetylene-gas generator.



No. 630,834. Patented Aug. a. |899.

J. G. KERB. AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR. (Application led Nov. 1, 1897.)

No. 630,834. Patented Aug. 8, |899. J. G. KEER.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Application filed Nov. 1, 1897.) No Model.) 2' sheets-sneer 2.-'

1 lll] llllllll @XW ppn/fum 7 f (9C 7 E *mi2 ATTORNEYS, v

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES GRANT KERR, OF NIAGARA, CANADA,ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TO HENRY W. SMITH, OF SAME PLACE.

ACETYL-EN EFGAS G EN ERATOR.

SPCIFICATION forming part f Letters Patent No. 630,834, dated .August 8, 189g. Applicatign filed November' 1, 1897. Serial Nv'o. 657,010. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, JAMES GRANT KERR, a resident of Niagara, county of Welland, Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented a certain new and useful Acetylene- Gas Generator, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of acetylene-gas-generating means;

1o and it primarily has for its object to 'provide a generatin gapparatus having a carbid-holder capable of ready adjustment from without the casing or body, whereby such holder can be freely moved in such a manner as to admit of opposite sides thereof being alternately' brought into position to receive the water from the sprayer, whereby that part of the holder which was uppermost can be turned down to permit of a free dischargeof the carzo bid ash,while the other side wi th fresh carbidsurface is brought uppermost to receive the Water-jets, suchoperation bcingeffected without the escapeof 'gas and without a stoppage of gas-generation.

This invention also comprehends a sluiple form of generator with some of thc supporting members in the nature of gas feed or dischargepipes having connection with the gasometer-feed pipe.

Another object of this invention is to provide the feed or gasometer connecting supply pipe with a suitable drip-pipe and valve devices capable of ready adjustment for col lecting and discharging the products of con- 35y densation in the gasometer-,feed pipe, such invention also having in ViewV a novel and simple arrangement of water-spray devices which will serve to provide a uniform discharge of waterinto the carbid-surface from end to end.

With other objects in view,wl1ich will hereinaft'er be referred to, the invention consists in a gas-generating means 'embodying the same in use with a gasometer and automatic f water supplying means. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the generator and the gasometer. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of 5 5 the generator, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, the alternate posi tion of the carbid-holder be? ing indicated in dotted lines. Fig. 4 is a detail view ofthe carbid-holder detached. Fig. 5 is a detail View of the drip-pipe and the 6o valve connection, hereinafter referred to, and Fig. 6 is adetail view of the spraying devices.

To fully illustrate the advantages and operation of my improvements, I have shown them as applied for use with a gasometer and automatiewater feed devices, and while I shall describe such devices and constructionl of the gasometer in a general way said gasometer and Water feed devices, perse, form no part of this invention. 7o

Referring now to the' accompanying drawings, jin Which like numerals indicate like parts in vall-the figures, l indicates the generator, which consists, essentially, of an .upper carbid-holdin g and generating chamber 2 and 75 a lowercontracted (cone-like) ash-collecting chamber 3, the lower end of which terminates V in an outlet 4 for the removal of the dry ashes when necessary. The upper ehamber 2 has a surroundingrjacket 5, forming 8o spaces lj 5", to receive the pendent endland side members 6TL of the removable top (i, which carries the sprayingdevices 7, the construction of which forms a special feature of this invention. The end space 5 is made of -a 85 greater width than the others fora-purpose presently explained. y

ln practice the spaces 5 5 are Water-filled to form a Waterseal between the top and the body of the generator. o

The generator-top has a water-feed pipe'S, into which the automatic Siphon devices,hereinafter referred to, discharge and which in turn extends below the said top and has a discharge 5", which discharges into the spray- 95 ing device 7.

The spraying device 7 consists of a longitudinal trough having two'compartinents 7, divided by a central plate 7. The ends 7 7'c of the trough have pintles 7d T, which, enloo gage the pendentbrackets of the top; as 'shown in Fig. 2, and form rockerbeariugs for such trough.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. G, it

will be observed that the bottoms of the compartment 7 7 are inclined downward toward thecenter and the outer edges are in the nature f ,shaped gutters having a series of perforations 7e in their apex end. By hanging the sprayer in the manner shown and dividing it into two longitudinal compartments it is obvious that as soon as sufiicient water has entered into one compartment to cause it to tilt or dump the other compartment will corne under the water-supply and fill while the other is discharging, and when it in turn becomes filled the weightof the water will tilt the sprayer to bring the emptied side u p again under the feed, such spraying receiving, as it were, an intermittent rocking niotion which serves to intermittently first discharge the spray to one side of the upper face of the carbid and then to the other, thereby creating a more constant and uniform generation' of gas. Furthermore, by providing a trough having its discharges at a point above the bottom thedischarge will be uniform the ventire length of the sprayer and the danger of spraying more at one end of thetrough than at the other incident to the ordinary forms of spray-pipes is entirely avoided.

10l indicates the carbid-holder, the peculiar construction of which and the meansfor adjusting the same from the outside of the genthe holder is turned with its mouth to one side the Weight ofthe contents thereof will serve to hold the same to its turned position, the carbid-holder being supported by the sides of the chamber, as clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. To one of the ends 10a is secureda handle 14, which has a portion 14 bent up to clear the top of the chamber 2 of a downwardlyprojected U-sliaped Y portion 14", adapted to dip down into the liq uid inthe space 5b,'such Ulshaped portion also forming a loop into whichone end of the top projects, A(see 1Fig. .1,) the lower end of 'which,' however; is slightlyl dish'ed out to admit of the sweep ofthe lower loop end of the handle during its movement from one side to the other. Theend of the handle projects outside of the top, as clearly shownl iVhile I have shown a generator having but, a single carbid-holder and sprayer, it is manifest that the same in practice'may have a plurality 'of holders and sprayers without departing from the scope of this invention.

So far as described they manner vin which my improvements operate is best explained as follows: After the holder is filled with carbid, placed in position, the top closed down, and the spray evices opened up the handle is thrown to one side, which brings the holder in the position indicated in full lines in Fig. 3, one of the long sides of such holder being uppermost and the mouth in such position as to prevent the waste ofthe contents. gas is generated by the Contact of water and carbid an ash is being accumulated on such part of the carbid as receives the direct Water contact. Now by bringing the handle over to the opposite side it follows that which.

`generation thereby, and by thus'separa'ting the ash from the clean carbid I obtain the maximum generation in a quick and uniform manner. The gas thus generated in the chamber 2 passes o'tf into the conveyers 15 15., which are in themature of pipes which form two of the supporting-legs of the generator-fralne. These pipes are connected bya union-pipe 16, in which is located a three-wayvalve 17, having its bottom escape-port in communication with the gasometer-feed pipe 18, which hasa drip wellY or pipe 19, in to which the pendent seal-pipe 21 is held. The drip-well has a discharge'19u near the upper end, as shown.

As the:

IOO

' By providing a drip-well at the point indi- IIOv The dome has a pendent tubular extension l which projects well down into the water within the tank 22 and receives a gas-escape pipe 24, extending from above the waterlevel through the bottom of the gasometer, so that y in case more gas be generated and forced into the holder than can be accommodatedthebottom of the tubular extension' will risc above the water-line andthe surplus gas will pass od through the pipe 24 tothe open air and avoid damaging or smashing. the apparatus.

The dome has suitable guide and supporting rods, which serve to guide its rise and fall holder.

At-one side, adjacent to the generator, the gasometer has a water-'tank 26, in practice yhaving a suitable'water-supply controlled by a iioat.

I2'5 without use o'f rollers, rtje., at the sides' of the 27 indicates asiphon-pipe, the leg 27 of lwhich reaches almost to the bottom of the tank 2Q, (see Fig, 2,) while tbeleg 27ll extends Within the spray-supporting pipe 8. The intermediate legs 27'c 27"I form a U-shaped 'once the siphon has been filled a continual flow is maintained into-,the spray-pipe 'and thence into the interior of the generator, it

being understood that if the siphon be raised so its point of connection between the legs 27b 27? is above the Water-line in tank 26 the iiow through the siphon will cease. The siphon, which can readily be removed from the tank 2G, and the pipe S, can be readily primed, and it will continue running as long as there .is any Water in the tank above the upper end of the leg 27?` and after the water ceases to.

run it can be readily reprimed.

28 indicates a flexible support connected at one end to the Siphon and atthe other to the' top of the gas-dome. This connection passes over a pulley 29, thence down under a Weighted pulley 30, and then up over pulleys 3l 32 down to the dome. The connection 2S has stops 33 v34e, so located that when the gasholder is down the stop 33 will be jammed against the pulley 30, the weight of which is then taken by the gas-holder and the siphon permitted to'sink to cause a. iiow of water to a the generator.

As the gas-holder rises the weighted pulley 3ft-'moves away from the -stop 33, and as the Weight on the pulley is greater vthan the weight of the siphon the latter rises in the tank 26, so as to decrease and finally stop the flow of water, the stop 34 preventing the siphon'being drawn up too far by engaging the pulley 29, such construction of parts affording a simple and convenient method of regulating the Water fioW to suit the consumption of gas.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it isthought the complete operation and advantages of my invention will readily appear. The same affords a very simple and eective apparatusl for the generatingof acetylene gas from calcium carbid in such a way as to get the full gaseous product from the carbid quickly and uniformly. v

It will be readily apparent that the detailed construction and arrangement of the several parts constituting my improved generator may be modified and changed without departing from the scope ofthe appended claims.

To provide for supplying the carbid-holder with fresh carbid without removing the entire top G, such top may have a feed-opening provided with 'a screw-cap, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 3. By providing such a feedopening the holder can be' replenished without allowing but very little gas to esca-pe, as

1 the valve between the generator and gasometer can be closed during such operation, which will retain the 'gas in the latter and take thc pressure of the generator.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an acetylene-gas generator, the com-4 bination with the carbid-holder, of a rocker spraying-trough having independent compartments, having discharges, said trough being supported substantially as shown, whereby one compartment Will be filling from the water-feed as the other is discharging so that the carbid will be intermittently sprayed at different points of its water-receiving surfface substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with the carbid-holder and the Water-feed, of a sprayertrough having two longitudinal compartments having discharge-minces ata point above the'bottom said trough being pivotally hungat the ends under the water-feed and adapted to automatically rock in reverse directions by the .water-feed, whereby to deliver intermittently at different points of the carbid-surface held to the water-feed as set forth.

' 3. In a machine as described, the combination with the carbid-holder; of a Water-supply held to discharge against the holder, said supply including a distributing-trough having a `feed at one end and a V-shaped bottom, having discharges at the upper edges as speciied.

4. In a machine of the class described, a gas-generator comprising a chamber, and removable cover having a Water-supply and having a water-seal connection with the said chamber, a carbid-holder having a feed-opening at the top and oppositely-inclined grated sides arranged to be supported against the sides of the chamber, and means for rocking such holder to such sides alternately in line with the Water-supply, whereby one side will discharge ash as the fresh side receives the water as specified.

5. In a machine as described, a generator com prisin gan open-top chamber having asurrounding water seal at the top,va cradle-like carbid-holder detachably held in such chamber, a detachable cover, fitting in the said water seal and having a Water-spray, a feed for such spray, and a handle connected to the carbid-holder,extended above the upper edge of the generating-chamber, down through the Water seal under the cover and up to the outside of the cover, substantially as shown and for the purposes described.

6. In a generating means substantially as described, a water-sprayer, consisting of a Vtrough extending lengthwise of the carbid- IOO' IIO

8. Ina device of the class described, a generatory having an oscillating carbid-holder adapted to swing back and forth tobring a1- ternately its opposite sides in position to re ceive the spray, andsupports arranged to receive the holder in each of its positions, substantially as described.- v

9. In a machine as described, a generator having an oscillating carbid-holder adapted to swing back and forth to bring alternately its opposite sides in position to receive the spray and arranged to rest against the sidesV of the generator, Whereby'it is supported in position to receive said spray, substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the class described, a generator bavingan oscillating carbid-holder having ar. open top and arranged to swing back and forth to bring alternately its opposite faces in position to receive the spray, and means for limiting the swing of the holder and for supporting the same iny each of its positions, substantially as described.

1l. An acetylene-gas generator, comprising a casing, an oscillating carbidhold'er arranged within the same and adapted to be supported by the walls'thereof, and an autolnatically-oscillatin g sprayer arranged Within the casing and located above the carbidholder, substantially as described.

'JAMES GRANT KERR: Witnesses:

JOHN RANKIN, CHAS. R. NEWMAN. 

